Water pickup tool



Oct 22, 1940- F. w. YUTZLER WATER PICKUP TOOL Filled March 1,' 1939 LIJJ INVENTOR fa hf. )6721.52 MMWCFW ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER. PICKUP TOOL Fred W. Yutzler, Romo, N.`Y., assignor to The Kent Company, inc., Rome, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March l,

i Claim.

face and that will be adjustable for wear of the squeegee blade that engages the surface.

Other objects of the invention and the features of novelty will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing of which: l

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a tool embodying my invention, with certain parts shown in longitudinal section. f

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the squeegee blade as arranged in the nozzle when the tool is being moved forwardly.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but showing the squeegee blade as arranged in the nozzle when the tool is being moved backwardly.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the squeegee blade.

Fig. 5 is an elevation thereof.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the springs for pressing the squeegee blade against the surface on which the tool operates.

Fig. '1 is a transverse section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a relatively long and narrow nozzle having a central tubular extension Il to which a tubular handle I2 may be attached, this handle being connected by means of a hose (not shown), or otherwise, with suitablesuction apparatus. The nozzle ||l has a long narrow intakey slot I3 in its lower surface and the walls Il and I5, at the ends of this slot, project somewhat'below the lower edges I6 and Il of the longitudinal walls, as indicated at I8, so as to support the edges I6 and I'I above the oor or other surface on which the tool is operating. Adjacent the end walls Il and I there are ways I9 in which the circular ends 2|)v on the frame of the squeegee blade are adapted to slide vertically. 'Ihe squeegee blade 2| is a strip of flexible material, such as rubber, and is held in the channel 22 which connects the ends 20 of the squeegee frame.

Wire springs 23 are arranged in the opposite end portions of the nozzle I0 and have eyes 24 that are engaged by screws 25 which secure the 1939, Serial No. 259,209

springs to the nozzle. The opposite ends of these springs are provided with hooks which engage the channel 22 so that the springs exert a downward pressure on the squeegee blade and hold it in contact with the surface on which the tool is 5 operating. Screws 26 extend through suitable openings adjacent the end walls I4 and I5 of the nozzle and have threaded connection with the ends 20 of the squeegee frame. These screws are free to slide in the openings in the nozzle, and it '1g will be noted that the heads of the screws are spaced slightly above the upper surfaces 21 of the nozzle so that the springs 23 can move the squeegee blade downwardly until the heads of the screws engage with the-surfaces 21. In this way any wear in the squeegee blade will be automatically taken up.

In the operation of the tool it is moved-back and forth, in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 2 and 3, over the surface from which the water is to be removed, and when the tool is moving in the forward direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, the squeegee blade 2| will be deflected rearwardly into engagement with the rear wall of the nozzle and thereby act as a seal which will cause the air, which is drawn into the tool by the suction apparatus, to be drawn under the forward edge I6 and between the blade 2| and the forward wall of the nozzle. When the tool is moving in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the squeegee blade 2| will be deected to the opposite side of the intake slot and have a sealing engagement with the forward wall of the nozzle so that the air will be drawn in underthe edge I'I and through the space between the blade 2| and the rear wall of the nozzle. As the tool moves back and forth the water will accumulate on the side of the blade 2| through which the air is being drawn, and as the air passes under the longitudinal edges I6 and |1, depending upon the direction in which the vtool is moving, it will pick up the water and carry it out through the handle I2.

When it is desired to remove the squeegee blade it is only necessary to take out the screws 26 and this will release the blade frame so that it may be removed and a new blade 2| inserted.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

In a water pickup tool the combination of suction nozzle having a narrow elongated intake slot, the end walls of said nozzle projecting beyond the edges of the longitudinal walls and being adapted to engage the surface on which the tool operates and normally space said longitudinal edges above said surface, a blade of flexible material arranged 55 in said slot between said end walls with its outer edge adapted to engage said surface, the upper portion of said blade being arranged in spaced relation to the longitudinal walls of the nozzle, adjustable means for holding said blade in said nozzle so that it will be movable toward and away from said surface, and springs permanently secured on the interior of said nozzle independently of said adJustable means for pressing the outer longitudinal edge of said blade against said surface, the outer longitudinal edge portion of said blade being adapted to swing to opposite sides of said slot to alternately engage said longitudinal walls as the tool is moved back and forth over said surface.

FRED W. YUTZLER. 

